Lost Sanity
by AnimeKnightmare
Summary: One day, Percy asks Nico how he managed to stay sane after all that he witnessed and endured in Tartarus. Nico's answer is simple, yet a bit terrifying.


**Summary: One day, Percy asks Nico how he managed to stay sane after witnessing the horrors of Tartarus. Nico's answer is simple, yet a bit terrifying.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson and the Olympians or Heroes of Olympus. Everything rightfully belongs to Rick Riordan.**

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Percy remembered how Nico had changed after he returned from Tartarus, becoming much more inward and withdrawn. The dark cloud that perpetually hung over him seemed to be even heavier than before, the shadows that gravitated toward him seemed to be darker, and the aura of death that surrounded him seem to be stronger and more noticeable. He preferred to be alone in his cabin than out with anyone. All because of that horrid place. Frankly, Percy was surprised the young son of Hades hadn't gone completely insane, given that he witnessed Tartarus in it's full capacity _alone_ and without any support whatsoever.

That last thought really hit him. How _did_ Nico manage to retain his sanity? He heard Reyna say that Nico accomplished that feat through sheer willpower alone, but even Percy found that hard to believe. He had only truly seen witnessed Tartarus for a a few seconds, and he could safely say he wouldn't last an extended amount of time in that sort of environment with his sanity intact. Which begged the question once again: _How is Nico still sane?_

Percy had that single question on his mind, trying to come up with an answer the entire duration of breakfast. Did he block it all out somehow? Like a mental barrier of some sort? It was definitely a possibility. Percy seriously doubted he knew all there was to know about Nico and his powers. Finally, as everyone began filing out of the Dining Pavilion, he decided to ask Nico himself, as the young Son of Hades was walking just a few feet in front him. Percy picked up his pace.

"Hey, Nico!" Percy greeted as he caught up to him.

"Hey," Nico said, sparing the Son of Poseidon a short glance before looking ahead again.

"Can I talk to you for a bit?" he asked.

Nico shrugged. "Sure," he replied. The two demigods went off to the side, where they wouldn't be easily overheard by anyone passing by.

"Do you mind if I ask you a question?" Percy asked, getting straight to the point.

"What kind of question?" Nico raised an eyebrow questioningly.

"How did you manage to stay sane after everything you saw in Tartarus?" Percy said quickly, suddenly feeling uncomfortable asking such a thing. The Son of Hades abruptly stopped walking, and slowly turned his head to look Percy dead in the eye.

"Do you really want the answer to that?" he asked, his voice suddenly lower and without emotion.

"Uh...yeah," Percy said.

Nico didn't say anything for a few seconds, and Percy began to feel uncomfortable once again in the tense silence. He began wringing his hands together and tapping his foot, anything to soothe his frantic nerves. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity to Percy's ADHD, Nico spoke.

"I didn't," was his answer. It was short and simple, yet Percy didn't get it completely right away. When he did, his eyes widened and he looked at Nico worriedly and with a bit of fear on his eyes. Who wouldn't? Once of his best friends just admitted he was insane!

"Uh...sorry, could you repeat that again?" he asked.

"I said, I didn't. I didn't stay sane. I lost my sanity. It's gone, not there anymore," he said, pointing to his head. "However you want to put it," Nico added, gazing at him blankly.

"Oh…" Percy trailed off. He couldn't believe it. Nico hadn't seemed to have changed at all! And if he really was insane, shouldn't he, like, you know, be crazy? With wide eyes and a bloody knife going around killing people for fun or something? At least, that's what Percy imagined Nico would be like if he was insane, which, apparently, he was. Except the knife would be replaced with a Stygian iron sword. "Well-"he started, but Nico cut him off, holding up a hand.

"I bet you're wondering how, right? I mean, according to you,and basically everyone else, I haven't changed all _that_ much," the Ghost King said. Percy just nodded. "You're half right, though. I really haven't changed."

Percy looked hopeful at that. Maybe this was all some joke on Nico's part. However, at the next words that came out of Nico's mouth, that hope was banished in an instant, and replaced with a feeling of terror.

"I've always been insane."

And with that, Nico turned, and quickly disappeared into the shadow of a nearby tree, leaving a wide-eyed, gaping Percy staring after him.

He could see why Nico left so suddenly. His girlfriend was walking up the path towards him. Annabeth came up and out a hand on Percy's shoulder. "You okay, Seaweed Brain? You look like you've seen a ghost."

Percy laughed nervously at that. "Y-yeah, I'm fine. Just a little...shaken up is all."

The blonde girl frowned. "About what?"

Percy just shook his head. "Don't worry about practice sword fighting?" he asked with a bright smile/

"Sure," Annabeth replied, glad her boyfriend was okay, and began heading forward the training grounds. Percy walked beside her, their steps perfectly in sync. He suddenly felt a chill go down his spine, and glanced behind him. There, standing off to the side, was Nico Di Angelo, shadows all around him. It was impossible to tell where the shadows began and Nico ended. They seemed to blend in with his very being. He was also smiling. The smile wasn't one of happiness, however. It was full of insanity, and touched with a hint of true madness. But his eyes - oh, _gods_ his _eyes_. Contrasting greatly with his pure white skin, they were completely black. Just a never ending abyss of darkness with a glint akin to that of a psychopath's.

Percy shivered involuntarily, but waved it off as nothing when Annabeth asked what was wrong. He quickly looked behind him again, and Nico, along with the shadows, was gone, leaving no trace that he was ever there. Percy only had one thought running through his mind at that moment.

 _He really is insane._

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 ** _So...what do you think? Good? Bad? Please review! And favorite if you really liked it that much!_**

 ** _Thanks for reading!_**


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